Letizia Paternoster gives Trek-Segafredo its first win ever at Santos Women's Tour Down Under

Jan 10 2019 10:10 pm CET

Trek-Segafredo Women's Team

Trek-Segafredo's Letizia Paternoster has taken the victory at the first stage of the Santos Women's Tour Down Under. Sarah Roy (Mitchelton-Scott) and Arlenis Sierra (Astana) were second and third, respectively.

The existence of Trek-Segafredo couldn't have started any better. The first day of competition in Australia was suitable for the sprinters and the peloton settled with that from the beginning and there was no breakaway in the 113-kilometre route.

Paternoster was protected and aided by her teammates and she was the fastest one to cross the finish line. "This is really an amazing day for me; it's only my second year as a professional rider," said the Italian.

"To start out with the new team, and the first race of the team like this, is really, really great!"

Trek-Segafredo's General Manager Ina Teutenberg explained the tactics of the team in the absence of Lotta Lepistö. "We planned to always lead out Letizia," she explained. "We lost the last person for the lead-out with Lotta (Lepistö) being sick today, but we rearranged, and the girls did a perfect job bringing Letizia to 250 meters and then she just took it from there.

"I am really happy. It's a nice monkey off your back as they say – first race, first win, it can't really go any better than that."